::Is stunned::........Well, I had assumed that Elizabeth planned to destroy Atene's core, but I didn't guess about the ZPMs and I certainly didn't guess that Rodney and herself would die. And it's all so complicated. I hate her for doing that, for killing Rodney and turning her back when it seemed that John's pod was failing too, but at the same time, Atene needed to be dealt with and she was the only one who could do it. And John, I just want to hug him. It hurts to see him so lost. But then I think about how he just as guiltily allowed Elizabeth's pod to fail, though I find it hard to be angry with him for it. If it had been solely about revenge, maybe, but it wasn't anything as considered as that. What can be coming next I wonder? With several chapters still left to go and two of our focus characters (three if you count Atene) dead and the other in who knows what condition, where can you be taking us next? I can't wait to find out. Just give me a bit of time to recover from the shock of this chapter. Laura.

Author's Response: three if you count Atene Four, Laura, four, John didn't care enough to get the repairs right, plus he isn't as expert with the systems as Rodney and didn't have Atene to consult. And, yes, he's guilty of leaving Elizabeth to die, a guilt of omission, but it was the only mercy he had left in him for her. He didn't wake her up to face him. And where we are taking you? To the end which is the beginning again.

I've finally decided to get off my lazy behind and review, something I should have done from the beginning. *blush* This story has been so much fun to read and this latest chapter finally lit a fire under me to actually come out and say it. I personally don't think Elizabeth is thinking with perfect clarity at this point, but I also don't think Atene is trustworthy. Oy. What a situation: two men who are blind to the AI's possibly true evilness, a woman who sees it and it's driving her further and further away from them and over the edge because she's having a damned time proving it. I think at one point, John or Rodney observed that while their breakdowns had been swift and quick, Elizabeth's was happening slowly as she is crushed beneath the weight of her own guilt. Er... something like that, anyway. Could this possibly be it? Could Elizabeth finally be cracking? *wibbles* Poor Elizabeth. And just how far is she willing to go to destroy Atene and stop her from doing more harm to everyone/thing. And then again, none of them are exactly poster people for perfect mental health. Well, you've both done an excellent job with this fic! I love waking up every morning and getting on the computer to find a new chapter posted! :) Again, outstanding work! :D

Author's Response: You've pointed out many of the themes we were working with for this. Elizabeth's suppression of her feelings makes them worse while at the same time encouraging the other two to not see she needs them. By the time they think to offer her any sort of comfort, they're already involved, it isn't enough for her, and they're blinded. And she breaks under the weight. As you said, none of them are poster children for mental health, but John and Rodney get it out and Elizabeth internalizes it. I love getting a review like yours, and it actually counts for more since you've read along through so much of the story at this point. - Auburn

It's all gone so horribly wrong now, hasn't it? :( It's difficult to tell who's worst off now. I mean, Rodney's actually mostly okay now, except for the fact that Atene can get to him when he visits the chair, and I feel sorry for him that he's truly in love with Elizabeth and she can't, or won't, accept that truth, so he's hurt by her reaction to him during that last bout of sex. But John and Elizabeth- they're both much more observant of each other. John is much more aware of the fact that Elizabeth doesn't trust him anymore and that hurts him, as does the knowledge that the happiness he and Rodney wanted for Elizabeth has turned to ashes. Plus there's the doubt that Elizabeth sowed about whether he's being manipulated by Atene and would he truly know either way? As for Elizabeth, well, what to say? It's starting to look like Elizabeth is doing Atene's work for her with regards to her own well being. It's getting very worrying to see what's going on in her head right now, especially her thoughts on how they should all be dead for what they did, and the earlier decision to do what needed to be done despite the cost to John. And there's all that anger, so much that even the sex just made her angry. That scene when she's in the shower and doesn't know who she's most angry at, but she didn't tell John or Rodney what she wanted and it was her own anger that made her take John before she was ready and then push too hard- we know that John tried to slow her and also tried to help her along to her own climax, but she was having none of it, so why the anger? It's quite scary that she's been pushed so far by events and it cwertainly has me on edge for what she's planning to do. Can't wait for the next chapter. Laura.

OMG!! That was a brutal chapter. Now I am wondering if Elizabeth is just totally insane. I still don't trust Atene either though. I felt so bad for Elizabeth, maybe since I'm a woman I sympathize with her more, althoguh it's clear that John and Rodney are hurting too. I sure do not like the words that they all should die because of Dorunda...that's way to full of foreshadowing to ignore.

This is so disturbing, I'm very frightened both of and for Elizabeth. I feel sure she is going to do something awful. She is obviously capable of killing all of them, or at least John and Rodney. Thank you for posting every day, I don't think I could take the wait otherwise.

Oh wow! Sooo good! After all, you're only paranoid when you can't *prove* they're after you. But is it Elisabeth or the AI? Wonderful suspense, taut writing, (even the dysfunctional sex,)and a seemingly relentless rush to disaster. (You're not going to kill them *all*, are you?)
And here I am waitng like a junkie for my next fix. You shameless peddlers of addictive fiction! :)

Author's Response: You're not going to kill them *all*, are you? Now, you see, if it was just eretria, you wouldn't need to ask, because she wouldn't. And if it was just me, you wouldn't ask either, because I'm perfectly likely to do just that. Thanks for mentioning the dysfunctional sex, we were weirdly proud of that for some reason.

Oh dear, Elizabeth is going around the bend, isn't she? I can't decide if she is paranoid or if her concerns about the AI are real. I know the AI isn't evil, but that doesn't mean she isn't dangerous. Well, I'll jsut have to wait and see.

I think "eep" sums up this chapter very well! It's all so very wrong, what with Elizabeth's reaction to the memory device (or was it Atene's interference?) and her later reaction to John and Rodney. Then there's John, still distant and feeling disconnected, still with Atene looking out of his eyes :(. And Rodney's been in the chair again, lured by the ZPM knowledge- true knowledge, or just something Atene's fed him to keep him on side? And now Atene's talking to Elizabeth directly, despite her not having the gene? I've got an idea about what her plan might be and I hope it won't have dire consequences, especially for John ::is concerned::, but something so definitely needs to be done and Elizabeth is the only one who can. Laura.

Author's Response: Rodney's received genuine knowledge from Atene. He does manufacture them spare ZPMs. But time has its own inertia and wants an Atlantis much like they found. They might try to divert the timeline, but at the same time they are the agents of fate, and helpless, though they don't know it.

Ohohoh, so, so very not good! :(. I just hope that this will allow Rodney to really see what Elizabeth's been seeing all along. I hope it will stop him using the chair and then they can both find a way to fix John, and, by extension, their relationship. I'm crossing my fingers for a happy threesome in the end, even if we have to go through more of the hurt to get there. Can't wait for more. Laura.

Very melancholy chapter, now that the time for stasis has arrived and they're having to leave behind their new friends in the hope that they will find their old friends when they wake up. I liked the tenderness between Rodney and Elizabeth, and later John, when he arrived; their reluctance to move even though they were all agreed that it was the only option. I also have to comment on their return to Atlantis- Elizabeth's immediate unease, Rodney's need for the chair and John's suspicious headache. It's a worrying situation and I can't figure out what Atene's actions/programming are about. Off to read the next chapter now. Laura.

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